Growing to greatness: Professor Mary Gehring on plant epigenetics and becoming an HHMI Investigator
From the intricacies of plant reproduction to genome-wide analyses, Gehring’s lab delves deep into the epigenetic mechanisms shaping plant biology.
Dr. Mary Gehring is a professor of biology at MIT and a core member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. Her research focuses on how epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation influence gene regulation during plant reproduction and seed development in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. In the classroom, she teaches genetics (7.03), a required course for biology and biological engineering majors.
With her recent appointment as an Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator, Gehring joins an elite legion of HHMI investigators at the Institute. New cohorts of investigators are only announced once every three years, and they receive $11 million in funding over a seven year term (which can be renewed). Three other MIT faculty received HHMI appointments this year: Gene-Wei Li, associate professor of biology, and brain and cognitive sciences professors Mehrdad Jazayeri and Steven Flavell.
Here, she shares her lab’s research, journey into plant biology, and what she values in undergraduate researchers.
TT: What does your lab conduct research in, and how has being named an HHMI investigator changed your plans, if at all?
My lab focuses on plant biology, particularly on how epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation affect gene regulation in plants, especially during reproduction and seed development. We mostly work with Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant, but we’re also exploring other plant systems.
A typical day in the lab can vary, but it often starts with checking on our plants in the greenhouse. Depending on the day, we might pollinate plants for genetic crosses or genotyping them by isolating DNA and performing PCR. We’re particularly focused on understanding gene expression within seeds: we isolate different seed tissues, sort nuclei based on their properties, and then perform RNA sequencing. We also do a lot of chromatin profiling, histone modifications and DNA methylation analyses across the genome. Since much of our work is genome-wide, bioinformatics plays a big role in our research, with a significant amount of time spent on analyzing data.
It’s still sinking in, but being named an HHMI investigator certainly provides a new level of freedom. It allows us to pursue ideas without the constraints of specific grant funding, which is incredibly liberating. We’re considering expanding our research into new areas beyond epigenetics, like genome structure and chromosome dosage changes, while sticking with plant biology. This recognition has encouraged us to think bigger and explore new directions in our work.
TT: How far back do these interests extend for you?
My interest in plant biology started during my undergraduate years. I majored in biology and was eager to get involved in research. My real fascination with plants began when a new professor, with a background in plant biology, came to my school. I took her course on plant growth and development, which I found incredibly exciting. I was drawn to how plants communicate within their tissues and with each other. This led me to work on a research project for two years, culminating in a senior thesis on root development. After college, I took a year off to work in environmental consulting before heading to graduate school in Plant Biology at UC Berkeley.
TT: What perspectives and characteristics do you appreciate in undergraduate researchers?
Whether it’s undergraduates or postdocs, I value curiosity and dedication. For undergraduates, especially those in UROPs, it’s crucial that they are genuinely interested in the research and willing to ask questions when they don’t understand something. Balancing research with coursework and extracurriculars at MIT is challenging, so I also look for students who can manage their time well. It’s about being curious, dedicated, and communicative.
I hope there are students at MIT who are excited about plant research. It’s a vital area of biology, especially with the growing focus on climate change. While there isn’t a large presence of plant biology at MIT yet, I’m hopeful that it will expand in the coming years, and I’d love to see more students getting involved in this important field.